Medicine and Prescription Drugs Alternative ways to recycle Illegal in Garbage & Drains Hazardous Waste Hazardous Waste Collection Medicine and prescription drugs need special handling to avoid toxic exposure for waste workers, the community, and the environment. As part of Senate Bill (SB) 212, residents can dispose of their pharmaceutical and home-generated sharps waste safely and conveniently at no additional cost. Visit Med-Project.org or SafeMedicineDrop.com for the nearest authorized collection site or to request mail-back services. City Specific Disposal OptionsPlease check with your city page (residential or commercial) to confirm if additional options are available, such as home collection, drop-off locations, and/or events. (These options vary per city.) Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Drop-OffYour city or county may offer HHW drop-off sites and collection events.– Los Angeles County: S.A.F.E. Collection Centers and events– Riverside County– San Bernardino County– Ventura County Disposal Options For BusinessesHazardous waste cannot be placed in your containers. Schedule a Special Waste Collection by emailing [email protected] or calling Athens Customer Service Department at 888-336-6100. Fees may apply. Some HHW drop-off centers may allow drop off by small business generators (check links above). Businesses that can legally accept medications can request on-site safe disposable bins for customers by visiting Med-Project.org or SafeMedicineDrop.com. Don’t Flush Down the Toilet Drugs dissolve when they are flushed down the toilet and can contaminate drinking water sources. Always Scratch Out Personal Information To protect your identity and privacy, scratch out any identifying information before disposing of empty or filled containers. Any empty bottles can be thrown in the trash. Alternative Ways to Recycle Give to a DEA-Authorized Collector Some pharmacies and law enforcement offices are registered with the DEA as authorized drug collectors. You can drop-off unused or unwanted drugs at these locations. Find a DEA-authorized disposal location. Walgreens Safe Medication Disposal Program Select Walgreens locations now have kiosks for safe medication disposal. Find a kiosk here. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Each April and October the DEA hosts a nationwide drug take back day. Find a drop off location and the date of the next take back day. Pill Bottle Donation Donate empty plastic pill bottles to Matthew 25: Ministries for inclusion in shipments of medical supplies and for shredding and recycling. Ways to Reuse Repurpose Empty Pill Bottles Put empty pill bottles to good use by repurposing them as travel containers and organizers for items such as cotton swabs, bobby pins, spare buttons, mini sewing kits, jewelry, coins, earbuds, and other knickknacks and supplies. Did You Know? Don't Rush to Flush Unwanted Medications - English Video Don't Rush to Flush Unwanted Medications - Spanish Video